


From Oaks To Pines - An Inheritance Cycle Fanfic

by veera98



Category: The Inheritance Cycle - Christopher Paolini
Genre: F/M, Humor, Islanzadi is suspicious and in general an overprotective bitch for her elves, Reluctant Fluff, Yeah this is one of those fics where the OC jumps from our world to a magical land with dragons, also elves, been wanting to do this since forever, maybe unicorns, tagging is fun, werewolf in Alagaesia, which is a sweet and good thing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-10
Updated: 2017-05-06
Packaged: 2018-08-07 22:38:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,863
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7732486
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/veera98/pseuds/veera98
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was a chance encounter that thrust Myra, the werewolf from New York, and Blödhgarm, the spell-weaving elf from Ellesméra, into each other's lives. What followed after were a lot of arguments, shape-shifting, spell-casting, joking around and saving the day. 'Girl in Alagaësia' except that it's more like 'Werewolf in Alagaësia'. Blödhgarm/OC</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Waking Up Was A Bad Idea

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This is my very first attempt at fan fiction and I really hope you like it. Suggestions, constructive criticisms are most welcome. Let me know if you find typos and/or grammatical errors.

**Chapter 1: Waking Up Was A Bad Idea**

**-{-}-**

**Myra's POV**

I opened my eyes and saw dim sunlight filtering through the dense canopy above me. It was early morning; the fresh dew on the grass I lay on told me so. For a split second I was comforted to see the forest around me but then I realised these weren't the forests that surrounded my cabin on the outskirts of New York. 

Instead of oaks, birches and beeches I was being watched over by pine trees. Huge pines too. The dark green colour of pine needles occupied my vision. All I could smell around me were pines.

_Where the hell am I?_

My head started throbbing painfully as soon as I lifted my head and tried to get up. I fell back twice trying to get up. Clearly the ground had fallen in love with me and didn't want to let me go. Neither did the fallen pine needles as they stuck to my hair.

While I waited for the pain in my head to stop I decided to make my hands useful and started to remove twigs, dirt and of course, pine needles from my hair and clothes.

The throbbing finally dulled and I looked around me. My rucksack and guitar case were by my feet. I was in unfamiliar surroundings and seeing my trusty old rucksack and my beloved guitar was a relief. I tried to remember the night before but I drew a blank.

I considered the probability of going to some wild frat party and maybe taking drugs by mistake but my immune system could easily fight that. You see, being a werewolf is awesome like that. I unzipped my blue rucksack and started to rummage through it to see what all I had the good sense to store in it. Perhaps the contents would help me recollect the night before. In the front zip, nestled among what seemed like a hundred chocolate wrappers, was my iPhone in its Avengers case. Never before had I been more grateful for that cuboidal metal device. I guess waking up among gigantic sweet smelling trees does that to you.

As much as I wanted to envelope my ears in my electric blue Beats headphones and get lost in the hits by Stone Sour, Pink Floyd, Eagles and Breaking Benjamin, I couldn't. I needed all my senses on high alert in this pine paradise.

I went on going through the zips and pockets and patted myself for always keeping a variety of stuff in there. A lot of it was the junk you'd expect to find with a 23 year old music-loving, future journalist; a thick journal, almost drained laptop, pens of pretty much every color, magazines, books, travel guides to places I'd never been and probably never will, drumsticks with my initials on them, empty water bottle, Pringles, M&Ms, and obviously, a whole lot of Hershey's chocolate bars.

But there were some essential essentials too. Like my hair brush, a few changes of clothes and petroleum jelly. Moving on to my guitar case, I was satisfied to see my sun-burst acoustic guitar completely unharmed.

Seeing the jeans, red checked shirt and sneakers I wore, along with the books, notebooks, guitar and changes of clothes I had with me, I came to the conclusion that I must have been on my way to my cabin in the woods for the weekend or maybe back to the dorm from the cabin after the weekend. I couldn't even remember the day of the week! Let alone trying to remember the freak accident that landed me in a goddamn pine forest.

Being alone with my thoughts made me realize my head was full of just me. Where were the thoughts and voices of the pack always there in the back of my head like irritating white noise? As much as I hated it, I missed having the assurance that the pack would be there for me no matter what. Pushing these never-felt-before feelings aside, I wore my bag and slung the guitar case on my right shoulder and decided it was high time I got back to my cabin in familiar woods and curled up in front of a fire with a good book in my hands.

I took a big risk and lowered my mental defenses to scan the area. It's like a sonar scan of sorts, I guess. You open your consciousness in a specific area. When you do this, you can feel the consciousness of every living being around you, even if they are not aware of it themselves. The slow, sleepy presence of trees, the smallest ant scurrying around to collect food, the lazy hedgehog settling in for a nap, the sharp hawk swooping down to grab its prey. Of course, this forest just couldn't be normal like that.

The animals were pretty normal but the trees were relatively aware. What's more, I could detect some kind of spells used on them. On each and every one of them. Clearly the people around here were accomplished wizards.

I noticed something else too. I couldn't detect any kind of magic signature. Whenever a wizard casts any kind of a spell it leaves behind a signature, like a fingerprint. Everyone's signature is unique. Also, these spells felt different.

Mysterious, powerful and utterly secretive wizards. Great. Just what I needed. After all waking up on the ground adorned with dirt, twigs and pine needles, surrounded by huge pine trees, without the assurance of the pack by my side, just wasn't enough.

I was about to retract back into my mind but then I felt another presence. It was unlike any human or animal I'd ever felt before. It was very well defended but again, it felt different from the protected minds I was used to. It seemed complex, to say the least. But also incredibly intriguing. It pulsed with quiet strength. Like the sea, calm but with the potential for ruthless destruction.

I panicked and retreated to my mind and hoped the wizard didn't notice. But how could that ever happen? After all, fate was jealous of my long, dark brown hair and had taken a pledge not to be kind to me and so the wizard did notice. Isn't that simply awesome? What was I thinking anyway?

As soon as I withdrew my mind I caught a scent. I was pretty sure it was the wizard's. It was intensely musky, much like the wolves in the pack, and it brought to my mind memories of comfort and good times. And it was coming closer. Fast.

It was definitely that wizard. Even though I was going to try to make the encounter peaceful, so I may be able to get some help from the wizard about my whereabouts and how to get back home, I still phased into my hybrid form.

Thick but soft and glossy black fur covered my skin. My bones stretched and elongated along with my muscles which grew bigger and my normally-human-looking canines on my upper and lower jaw became longer, thicker and much sharper. I couldn't see it, but I knew my eyes had become larger and were turned to a liquid golden color, as they always did when I was in my hybrid form. The nails on my hands and feet grew and became deadly claws.

Thankfully, I had the good sense to take off my shoes before phasing so they were not destroyed as my hands and feet grew to a larger size with better grip. The same couldn't be said for my jeans and shirt though. Your height increases by an average of 4-5 inches when you change into your hybrid form so my jeans now came up to my calves and my shirt exposed part of my belly. My senses, though already sharp being a werewolf, became even more sensitive now.

This transformation barely took two seconds but I grimaced as it still hurt just as much as it did the first time I ever shifted into my hybrid form.

A few seconds later I could hear footsteps which I would otherwise not hear. That is how light and fast they were. Soon enough, the wizard was standing in front of me. Barely 6 feet away. As expected, he was definitely not human.

In my hybrid form I was about 6'2" but this guy still seemed to be a bit taller than me. He was lean but muscular. He had dark, bluish black hair that came above his elbows. He only wore a white, embroidered loincloth wrapped around his thighs and waist. Shockingly, like me, he had fur all over him, except that his fur was bluish like his hair and had claws only on each of his middle fingers. The most surprising feature were his eyes.

Yellow, mesmerizing, beautiful and staring right into my soul.

**-{-}-**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Really hope you liked that. I'll be posting the next chapter in week or so. The rest of the chapters are going to be MUCH longer, I promise.
> 
> READ!!! COMMENT!!! LEAVE ME A KUDOS!!! BRUSH YOUR TEETH BEFORE GOING TO BED!!!


	2. First Meeting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Suggestions, constructive criticisms are most welcome. Let me know if you find typos and/or grammatical errors. Read and comment people!
> 
> I completely forgot the disclaimer in the previous chapter but here it is anyway...
> 
> All the characters, events, dialogues that you can recognise are from the Inheritance cycle and I do not own that. I just own the OC, Myra, and the stuff I invent.

**Chapter 2: First Meeting**

**Recap** **(Myra's POV):** I opened my eyes and saw dim sunlight filtering through the dense canopy above me... I realised these weren't the forests that surrounded my cabin on the outskirts of New York...I tried to remember the night before but I drew a blank...

Where were the thoughts and voices of the pack always there in the back of my head like irritating white noise?... I took a big risk and lowered my mental defences to scan the area...I noticed...I couldn't detect any kind of magic signature...

I felt another presence...I still phased into my hybrid form...his eyes; yellow, beautiful, mesmerizing and staring right into my soul.

**-{-}-**

Blӧdhgarm was running along the outskirts of Ellesméra, away from all the älfakyn. At times, making appearances became too much. Like last night. He had started running after dusk and it was to be dawn soon.

As he kept venturing further and further from the capital he could feel a calming solitude. He kept running until he felt a foreign presence brush against his mind. It was quite powerful but his mental defences were stronger still. Even so, he stopped in his tracks.

The presence was different, tangled, complex even. Though did not seem complex like the minds of älfakyn, it was interesting indeed. It felt unalike to the extent that Blödhgarm reasoned it could not belong to any elf, human or dwarf. It was pleasant and by no means intrusive, nor did he sense any malice. But Blödhgarm knew he needed to find the one whose mind felt so strange, for all he knew, it could be an enemy from the Empire.

However, as soon as Blödhgarm decided what he needed to do, the tendril of consciousness was gone. There were not many who would come so far out in the forest and he hoped to be able to locate the source without encountering anyone of his own kind. He used gramarye to further enhance his senses in the hopes that the one wielding the foreign seeming mind was close.

Blӧdhgarm stood still, taking in his surroundings, mindful of anything out of the ordinary. It was when the gentle wind shifted direction that he caught a scent the likes of which he had never sensed before. It was musky yet feminine and smelled strongly of fragrant wildflowers and something else he could not place. He could also faintly hear a heartbeat.

Could it be that someone had broken the wards around Du Weldenvarden? Could it be a Shade? Could it be a servant of Galbatorix?

He started running towards the scent and sound and almost immediately there was a slight change in the scent. It was muskier but still retained the fragrant smell. The heartbeat remained fast and steady, so, he continued to move towards the mystery. Thankfully, it was stationary and did not give chase.

Soon, he was standing face-to-face with the 'mystery'.

The female seemed to be almost as tall as him and wore rather strange clothes. She was wearing some kind of a tunic that buttoned in the front with stripes of different shades of red running all over the cloth to intersect at regular intervals. The tunic was short for her long, lean body and exposed part of her belly.

Her trousers came up to her calves and were made of seemingly tough, dark blue fabric. Her ill-fitting garb made it seem as though she had donned a child's clothes.

The two bags of luggage that lay abandoned on the forest floor were anomalous. He noticed a dark blue and black pack made of an alien fabric with strings in a criss-cross manner on the front. The seams that held it together were very fine yet odd. There were two thick, black loops which seemed to be the straps for wearing it. He discovered another bag of a strange shape. It was round and wide at one side while slim and long at the other. It also had two black straps for carrying it.

Other than that, they both seemed to share a few features.

While Blӧdhgarm's dark fur had a bluish tinge, her fur was absolutely black and shone in the dim light of the approaching dawn. At first he thought that she was wearing the fur of an animal, but then he realised it was her own fur.

Like him, her fur covered her face as well but it only seemed to accentuate her features. Beneath the fur, he was certain she had a flawless face. Her hair hung down to her waist in soft waves and was as glossy as her fur. The only thing that allowed Blödhgarm to distinguish between the two was the contrast between obsidian black of her fur and the rich brown hue of her hair.

The woman's claws were curved, sharper, longer and present on all her fingers and toes while he only had claws on each of his middle fingers. Blӧdhgarm's nails were of a dull yellow colour while those of the female’s held a charcoal hue.

Her mouth was slightly open and he could make out two pairs of fangs. He could see the sharp tips which must protrude from her lower jaw and the thick base of long canines from her upper jaw. The elf saw the same confusion and curiosity on the female’s face that he himself felt. She scrutinised him just as he took in her appearance.

When she met his gaze, Blӧdhgarm was transfixed by her eyes. They were golden, much like his own, but those strange eyes were glowing. Their glow was so alike the glow of the eyes of the creatures of night. Those intense eyes stared back at him unabashedly.

Blödhgarm could not forget how her mind had felt earlier. Now that she stood before him, the elf found that he was all the more confused as to who, rather what she was.

One thing was certain, this foreigner was not human, dwarf or elf. Her mind was far too alien. Briefly, he entertained the idea of her being a werecat or a Shade. These thoughts were soon dismissed. The threat that she could be a spy, or worse, from the Empire remained.

No one from the Varden was expected in the elven kingdom and Blӧdhgarm highly doubted an ambassador or messenger would reach out with their minds or wear the kind of garb that the female did.

That she was a powerful magician was evident. Her consciousness had managed to touch him despite the physical distance. Her features could only be the result of appearance altering spells. But he could not think of an explanation for her heartbeat. It was still beating steady and fast, so fast that he was almost concerned for her well-being.

Yet, how could someone have breached the wards around the forests without anyone finding out? Let alone the possibility of someone coming so close to Ellesméra.

More moments passed and neither shifted or spoke. The tension grew. Blӧdhgarm could no longer endure the deafening silence. He pushed aside elven manners and out of frustration blatantly asked her, _“Who are you and what are you doing here?”_ Out of habit spoke in the Ancient Language.

The black fur on her face shifted and rippled as her eyebrows knit together in consideration or anger, which one of the two, he wasn't sure. She replied, or rather growled, "What did you say?"

Her voice was animalistic. The four words were of the human tongue and mixed with rumblings from deep within her chest. He could barely make out the words. The words out of her mouth she placed four clawed fingers on her lips and said "sorry".

Before Blӧdhgarm's eyes, her appearance completely changed. Her height and muscles reduced to that of any älfinn, although she was still tall in comparison to the älfinn he knew. Her fur receded to reveal smooth, honey-coloured skin. Her previously golden glowing eyes were now hazel and her sharp claws.

A mortal would not have seen the change in motion, but his superior eyesight further enhanced by the sense increasing spell saw the radical transformation. Her lips had not moved at all and she had not uttered a single word.

Appearance altering spells are complex and could cause a blunder if not done right yet, the female standing before Blӧdhgarm had changed her appearance in the blink of an eye without any visible effort.

Was she truly powerful enough to cast complicated spells in her mind? She now looked like a human; though her skin colour wasn't common among any of the races. The more he found out about her, the more questions rose in his mind.

"What did you say earlier?" She asked in the human tongue again. Her voice was clear now but not as high as that of the females of his kind but it sounded beautiful in a different way. It was slightly husky with a deep timbre to it.

Her scent drifted to him again and he noticed it had reverted back to the less musky scent he had first caught. Had she changed her appearance the last time her scent had changed?

"How did you do that?" Blӧdhgarm asked in the human tongue, she seemed to understand it. He forgot about her identity as he was now very curious about her change in appearance perhaps, since he himself had altered his looks.

"Do what?" She asked.

"Change your appearance so drastically, so fast without casting a single spell? Have you had much practice with such spells?"

"Uh...I thought all werewolves could change into hybrid form easily. Do you need to cast a spell when you want to change your hybrid form?"

"Werewolves?" Blӧdhgarm sounded part confused, part shocked.

"Well yeah...that's what you are too right, unless you are some other kind of shifter? I mean, your voice is unnaturally clear for being in hybrid form but I guess that's from practice..." It was her turn to be confused.

He interrupted her rambling, "I am an elf, not a werewolf. Neither are you, for that matter, since none exist."

“Oh really? Let’s see then, if you’re an elf, what does that make me? A garden gnome?” The female scoffed.

“It would do you well to not mock me.” Blӧdhgarm said harshly.

“Or what? You won’t bring me my presents from Santa?” She crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow.

 _Santa?_ Blӧdhgarm’s eyebrows furrowed as he tried to make sense of her words.

The woman spoke again before Blӧdhgarm could voice his thoughts. “Okay, you know what? I don’t have time for this. Just tell me where we are standing right now and I’ll find my way back.”

“You stand in my country and demand that I tell you where you are? If anything you should answer my first question and tell me who you are and where you are from.” He stated.

“Fine. My name is Myra Davis-Sanghvi, Alpha of the Davis pack and all I want is to get back home. Your turn. Who are you and what is this place? I'm thinking this is somewhere up north or some mountain range because of all the pines...”

 _Davis-Sanghvi? Alpha of the Davis pack?_ The words that the female, Myra, spoke did not entirely make sense to Blödhgarm. Could she be lying? Surely, it would be more believable if she simply said she was a lost wanderer. Instead of answering any of her questions, he thought it better to extract information from her, be it the truth or lies.

“If you do not know where you are, then how did you come to be here?” Blödhgarm questioned.

“I honestly don't know. I just woke up, like, less than an hour ago and I don't remember how I got here. I don’t know if I'm here because I wanted to be here or somebody put me here. And trust me I am way more worried about me being here than you are. I know all of this sounds unbelievable but think it through. Why would I take the risk to open up my mind to anything and everything if I weren’t absolutely desperate?”

 _Aye, it was a desperate move to open your mind in foreign settings. Yet, how do I know that you are what you as innocent as you say? How do I know you are not a spy? How do I know you did not open your mind to be certain there is no one around to stop you from carrying out whatever deeds the mad king sent you for?_ Blödhgarm thought to himself.

“You did not quite take the risk. You withdrew almost instantly when you touched my mind.” He remarked.

“What else did you expect? I am alone and with no memory of how and why I came to this pine forest. I couldn’t sense anyone around. I mean, I live in New York. In a mixed oak and birch and beeches forest but suddenly I am in this place with pine trees all around. That too pine trees that have been somehow manipulated by magic. So yeah, I am so very sorry for being cautious.”

“New York? That is where your home is?”

“Yes, I live in Upstate New York. You have to have heard of the Davis pack. I am one of the Alphas. Listen, if you could just tell me where I am it would be great. I really need to get home so...if you could just not change the topic and tell me who you are and where we are, that would be perfection.”

“Very well. I am Blödhgarm, Son of Ildrid the Beautiful. As for where we are, I need to know that you do not lie. For all your assurances I find it a little hard to believe that you stand in a very protected and secure place without anyone finding out, without any alarm being raised and not know how it was that you are here. Where you stand is not somewhere that one could simply wander into.”

“Hang on, Son of who? And you didn’t mention your pack or your rank, did you? Or are you really some other kind of a shifter...”

 _Pack? Rank?_ Blödhgarm no longer wanted to continue with this. Whether this woman was being truthful or not, whether she was a foe could be decided in court. Even if she was a skilled spy, she would be at a severe disadvantage in Ellesméra.

“Enough of this. I am no shifter, neither do I have a pack, much less a rank. I am an elf. You stand in the middle of the elven kingdom and-”

The woman interrupted him before he could complete what he wanted to say.

“Goddammit man, you're either batshit crazy or you have identity issues. Or most likely, both. If what you're saying is correct, shouldn’t you be about two feet tall and wear cute little booties? If you don’t want to tell me who you are then that’s fine by me. Good day to you weirdo, all the best for sorting out your many issues. I will find my own damn way.”

And with that the woman picked up her bags, turned around and began to walk away. One fact was for certain, her agitation and irritation was something Blödhgarm found mirrored in himself. All Blödhgarm knew was that he had to stop the strange woman. Part of it was driven by the need to ensure the safety of his kin and part of it by the need to find out more about this woman, this Myra.

 _“Malthinae!”_ Blödhgarm cast a spell to stop her in place while at the same time he reached out with his mind with the sole purpose of bringing down her defences and seeing her truth for himself.

The next few moments felt like years to him. He barely felt the spell taking his energy reserves to complete. That was the least of his worries. For he found that the mind whose commendable defences he had touched nary an hour ago was suddenly open to intrusion. Unexplainable, indescribable and the most incredible visions flashed through his mind's eye.

A hawk so grand, so imposing flew over the sky, seemingly encompassing the entire clear blue airspace. There was a woman of dusky skin with grey eyes so light they were almost something of a nightmare, but the woman's smile was so warm his heart felt light. Then there was a sudden barrage that left his thoughts unbalanced.

He saw a river with what looked like a line of brilliantly lit buildings along it. An open, airy cluster of structures with people dressed in similar fashion to the woman milling all around. A large meeting hall of some sort had a board with writings on it, an older human male was writing on it with dark ink that flowed freely on the white surface. Large metallic looking coaches sped past at breakneck speeds, but there were no horses pulling them.

Clouds were below him and on the ground were settlements he saw through a rectangular window with rounded edges. An enormous brown furred wolf snarled at him in challenge, more wolves were gathered around in a circle, seemingly at ease with the humans that stood beside the wild creatures.

The visuals went by at dizzying speeds now. Beams of light danced around a platform as colourfully dressed people danced. A sea of people walked without any concern for one another. A tavern with odd furnishings serving unfamiliar, most likely inedible foods and drinks. Hostile flames consumed what looked like a small castle. Ominous light that highlighted two silhouettes was let into a pitch black room when a door opened. Dark eyes with sadistic happiness seemed to bore into his soul.

Many more sights washed over Blödhgarm in a kaleidoscope of colours and landscapes. He was left panting for air when the high treetops of pine trees he had known his entire life slowly came into focus. His legs were suddenly weak and even the rough forest floor felt welcome.

Blödhgarm propped himself on his forearms in an effort to stand to his feet once his mind cleared. He stopped all movement, even his shaky, uneven breathing, when he heard a low growl that reverberated through his frame.

In front of him stood a large black wolf. Blödhgarm almost thought he had fallen into one of the impossible scenes his mind had just battered with. But the wolf that stood before him was black, its fur was the shade of the darkest part of a moonless, starless night.

Something about the humongous creature was unnatural. As though nature had been either been gruesomely imitated or perhaps nature had let loose its most vengeful side. The creature stalked closer to him and its fur rippled with the muscles just underneath the surface. No wild animal had a musculature that attested to such lethal brute strength.

The wolf stood within a foot of his face and growled again, even lower and deeply this time, its head larger than the elf's entire upper body, its teeth resembling daggers and promising an unfavourable outcome.

Molten amber eyes fixed on him. He had seen that shade before. On cue, a voice with a deep timbre sounded in mind.

_Now, how about you start talking? Begin with who you really are._

The tone of the voice may have been threatening but the voice itself allayed his fears and soothed his mind. It was the sweeping tendril of thought that first brushed against his mind, it was the woman who wore strange clothes, it was the one who talked at him without fear, it was Myra.

**-{-}-**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Just like, by the way, älfinn refers to a female elf and gramarye is another word for magic, coined by our dearest CP.
> 
> READ!!! COMMENT!!! LEAVE A KUDOS!!! SAVE THE OZONE LAYER!!!


	3. The Blood Gum Ally

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Suggestions and constructive criticisms are most welcomed and encouraged. Let me know if you find typos and/or grammatical errors. Attention seekers will be ignored.
> 
> If I owned The Inheritance Cycle, Myra would already be in it.

** Chapter 3: The Blood Gum Ally**

**Recap:** Before Blödhgarm's eyes, her appearance completely changed…Davis-Sanghvi? Alpha of the Davis pack?...the woman picked up her bags, turned around and began to walk away…he cast a spell to stop her in place while at the same time he reached out with his mind…sights washed over Blödhgarm in a kaleidoscope of colours and landscapes…

He heard a low growl that reverberated through his frame…the wolf stood within a foot of his face…the tone of the voice may have been threatening but the voice itself…it was Myra…

**-{-}-**

**Myra's POV**

For a few ego stoking seconds, the elf with the midnight blue fur only stared up at my wolf form in awe. Then he started laughing.

I'd just phased into the most gigantic wolf he'll ever see, I stood right above his face, I bared my long sharp teeth and asked the furry man to explain himself and he laughed.

Even his laughter was weird. It was deep and throaty like it should be given how his voice sounded, but it was also clear and ethereal somehow. I wasn't sure I liked it. Or rather, I wasn't sure I was ready to admit to myself I liked it.

I mentally kicked myself.

_What's so damn funny, elfie? Giving into hysterics before I even sink in my teeth?_ I growled into his mind in the most menacing way I could. The elf sobered a bit, but his laughter didn't die down completely.

Yeah, I now believe the whole 'I am an Elf and I am not Santa's Little Helper'. Sure, it was weird. Also, sort of despair-inducing because that meant I was further away from home than I'd thought at first.

I had thought earlier that walking away from the furry man would be the end of my problems. That I would eventually come out of the pine forest, find a highway and hitchhike my way to some town and phone reception. One call to Uncle Nick and he would make arrangements for me to return to my cabin after trying to convince me to stay at the Compound.

Never have I ever been so incredibly wrong.

I'd started to daydream about a can of cola in my hands and being far away from manipulated trees and delusional weirdoes when I had heard a loud yell. I couldn't identify the word but I sure as hell felt the massive energy burst on the air. It took me a fraction too long to realise that the blue hippie had cast a spell. I had been about to summon my own magic to protect myself when I felt my mental barriers give away like they never existed in the first place.

Touching his protected mind with a tentative scan made me believe he was powerful. But feeling all of his mind encompass mine was positively overwhelming.

But those images…those flashes…the things I had felt…I had lived his world, his emotions, his thoughts, his life…

And it had all happened so fast.

_Colours and emotions flash one after another. I try to hold onto something, anything. I'm afraid I would lose myself without an anchor in this whirl of memories._

_An absolutely beautiful silver haired woman with kind, warm blue eyes who smiled such a wide, happy smile that I felt guilty for receiving it. Then I was looking at a crowd of people, all their eyes trained on me, I felt the nervous flutter of my blood. Then I felt the refreshing chill of cool water, the sky was an inky curtain of moonlight streaked clouds._

_There is no order here. At least none that I could see. Then I notice it, there is a strange thrum under it all. That is the only thing that is keeping me together._

_I stood in the distance looking at a burning city, thoughts of revenge stirred under the sadness and anger. My eyes roved across two contradicting texts written on fine, well-crafted paper. I felt relief flood through me when I was swept into familiar arms. I admired the smooth blade of a sword as it caught the light._

_Uncounted seconds, hours, days and years race past me. Taunting me. It felt like chaos. Somehow, I know it is anything but that. There is still that thrum, that rhythm underneath it all; a strong force that gives me the subtlest support. Barely noticeable, yet much needed and appreciated._

_A dense canopy was studded by brilliant lights, some were hung low and some were up high. A sweet, golden drink slid down my throat with delicious warmth as I looked around at friendly, happy faces. An eerie calm settled over me as I closed my eyes and felt runes under my fingertips, they meant so much. I moved with an easy grace to hypnotic music and felt the especially strong magic on the air._

_Suddenly, I understand and everything is clear. What holds my sanity is the 'weirdo' himself. Blödhgarm. Maybe not consciously, I couldn't sense if he is even aware of me, definitely not aware of me, but in the deepest catacombs of his powerful, alien mind he is helping me through whatever is happening to me._

The elf's thoroughly amused chuckling brought me back to the present.

_Oh, oh, I am so, so sorry, the man who called himself an 'elf' stood up, still trying to regain his composure. It is only that, after what I saw, I can tell you are from somewhere far away. But now this, this is incredible. This is the stuff of myths and lore. You still are Myra, Alpha of the Davis pack, are you not?_

_No, I am a walking talking killing machine now_ , I said in an even tone. Let him figure out if it was a joke or not.

He stared straight into my eyes. The guy might be a lot of things I didn't know, or even begin to understand, but he sure was brave. Or completely off his rocker.

It took a lot of effort to stay still when he – Blödhgarm, I reminded myself – started walking around me in a circle like I was a museum exhibit. I felt him reach out to touch the fur on my side but he stopped abruptly.

_May I?_ He asked. I didn't turn to the side to see him, but I could still sense his hand hovering in the air, just a few inches away from my fur.

_Go ahead_ , I replied without thinking much. The fact that I'd demanded he explain himself a while ago didn't seem to matter too much then.

He wasn't going anywhere. I could always claw the truth out of him if needed. That wouldn't be as useless as whatever spell he'd used before bombarding my brain with a disorienting collection of his own memories.

I tensed up when his fingers raked through the fur on my left shoulder with a long stroke, the claw on his middle finger lightly scraped my hide, which felt oddly comforting. Usually, the only reason why anyone's claws have ever come in contact with my fur is to rip me to shreds, be it in friendly sparring or an Alpha challenge. Being petted by Santa's little helpers isn't really a part of my everyday life.

So, digging my claws into the ground just in case the dude decided to go berserk was perfectly reasonable.

_Calm down, Alpha of the Davis pack. If I wanted to go 'berserk', I would have done so when I was taken on a rushed tour through your memories_ , he remarked.

I had almost forgotten the elf's mind was still connected to mine. Which was really saying something because the dude's mind felt weird on a whole another level when our minds were in touch just enough so we could communicate. The magic was strong in this one.

Wait a minute!

_What the hell do you mean weakling?_ I snarled as I turned to face the man. _What did you see?_ I seethed. What if he got dragged through my memories like I did through his? I needed to know exactly what he saw.

He gave me a confused look. _I thought you saw what I could see. I had suspicions of you being from the enemy lines. Thus, I had cast a spell to hold you in place and tried to reach your mind at the same time. I intended to break down your defences and see for myself if you were indeed truthful. It was a hasty and desperate decision. I apologize. Please, there is no need to growl in my face. All I could understand from what I saw is that you are from a vastly different realm. He finished his explanation._

I didn't want to trust him, but he was connected to my mind and I couldn't sense any fibbing. _I got a little trip down your memory lane too while you went through my life_ , I told him as I took a few steps back to give him some space.

What still had me reeling was that sudden lash of memories I'd endured. When my vision had cleared I was in my wolf form. Blödhgarm-not-Santa's-little-helper had been lying on his back, blinking furiously. I could sense his confusion. That was when I realised his mind was connected to mine with a weak link. Those memories were definitely his.

Considering the guy's condition, he had not expected whatever the hell had happened. _Serves you right_ , I had thought then and I thought it to myself again.

_Indeed it does. I say again that it was a hasty and desperate decision. But I cannot say I entirely regret it. For I doubt there was any other way you could have convinced me you were a creature of legends. Neither would I have been able to convince you that I am not an aberration of a 'shifter' but entirely conform to an elf. Except for my appearance, of course._

Dammit, I'd forgotten again he was still in my head. Well, I sure as hell wasn't about to act all flustered just because he had read my thoughts.

_Yeah, your appearance. What the hell is wrong with you? If all those people I saw in your memories were elves too-_

The Blood-Gum dude cut me off. _I am an elf through and through. Being an elf, I am very powerful in magic. Even more so than others of my kin are. I find beauty only in the sharp teeth of a wolf, the pelt of a jungle cat and the eyes of a hawk. It is my personal perception and so I moulded myself to it._

To say that I was looking for an excuse to believe that he was not an 'elf' would be an understatement. But I couldn't live in denial. _Basically you did voodoo on yourself because you're a wildlife enthusiast. Got it. Good to know._

_Also, considering how you could not recognise the spell from the word alone, I assume spells and magic are different in your country. Are they not?_

_I don't even care about that right now. I just want to know where I am so that I can find my way back home._

_I have already told you, Alpha of Davis pack. You are near the city of Ellesméra, deep into Du Weldenvarden, in the realm of Alagaësia. At best, your New York is far, far away._ The dude was at least trying to be sympathetic. Like a freaking first grade teacher.

_Yeah, I understand that but…I meant, I need to know how far exactly home is and how I can get back and how the hell I got here in the first place._

I needed to get back home. Everything was wrong. I couldn't be in someplace called Ala-gasia when I was supposed to be in college, pretending to be about a third of my age. Until and unless America was called Ala-gasia around here.

_It is not, I assure you. I understand that you do not want to believe this but there is a difference between being lost and being stubborn._

I glared at him and showed him the wolf canines that he thought were pretty. Different as his mind was, how come I didn't receive any of his thoughts like he heard mine?

Blödhgarm rolled his eyes. _As for your query, you might not be able to hear my thoughts because of the considerable differences in our minds even at the surface. Or perhaps, you would be able to hear my musings if you would slow down your frantic thinking._

Then he continued in a more serious tone, _I understand now why you doubted my very sanity when I told you I am one of the älfakyn, you are, after all, the one who is displaced while I am within walking distance of my own city. But, you have seen my memories in your mind's eye._

_Though I do not know what memories of mine you saw but if it was anything like what I saw in your mind then I do not understand why disbelief still lingers in you. If you are still not convinced that I am an elf, that you truly are in a country which is worlds apart from yours then I will not be able to help you despite best intentions._

I turned away, snorting. _Trust me buddy, my mind may be whip lashed but there's no doubt you're something different. That was just me and my wishful thinking. And sure, you and your country may be different but you don't know the entire world, do you? Have you travelled all over your Ala-gasia or whatever? Do you know everything there is to know? And anyway, if I'm here then it's not like I can't get back. If there is a way in there has to be a way out. I just need to find it. Somehow._

For a few seconds, neither one of us said anything.

I was mulling over the implications of not having a way to get back home for a while when Blue-Fur decided to speak. Or rather mind-speak. _You are correct. I do not know everything that there is to know. I am not nearly knowledgeable enough to help you by myself._ _But there may be aid to be found with my people, in my city. Ellesméra_ _is hardly a few hour's run ahead. It is the elven capital city. Our Queen should know about you. A lost werewolf is hardly a daily occurrence,_ he finished with a smile that showed his own respectably sharp canines.

I tried to take it all in stride. _Of course you would have a Queen. No democracy around here?_

_A democracy?_ He sent me a questioning thought.

It was like I got a little further away from home with every single minute. _You really don't know, do you? It's a type of government. I will explain it to you later if you want to know. For now, let's go meet Her Highness._ Then I paused for a second. _That is what she's called, right?_

_In this language, yes,_ Blödhgarm replied.

_You elf people talk some different language?_

_Yes, we speak in the Ancient Language._

_Right_ , I said. _So, are you going to give me some physical privacy since you can't seem to give me the mental kind?_

_We are to walk to Ellesméra together. Once all formalities and explanations are over then of course, you will be given your own quarters and complete privacy. The Queen is just and fair,_ Blödhgarm said, not really understanding.

I explained. _We're going to meet the Queen of elves, right. I'm guessing it'll be expected that I at least speak for myself. I can't speak in my wolf form, obviously. If I get a choice I would rather not open up my mind to a bunch of people I've never met before. So, I'll obviously have to phase back to my human form._

_Indeed, that would be preferable_. He paused. _Is it forbidden for one who is not a werewolf to actually see this phasing, he asked._

_Oh no, not at all. See, elf, I just shifted from my human form, which is comparatively tiny, to my wolf form which is comparatively huge. My clothes did not undergo the same transformation. And from what I saw in your head, you don't really seem like the nudist type._

_Pardon?_ I did not need to be connected to Blödhgarm mind to sense his surprise over my choice of words.

At some point, my tail had started swishing playfully. I said nothing and let him figure it out for himself.

Blödhgarm looked to the ground, maybe just noticing the tatters that remained of my clothes. I could practically see the gears clicking into place. _Shall I fetch you some clothes then?_

_No need. I keep a few sets handy in case I meet wildlife enthusiasts just like you. Some space would be just fine_ , I gave him an actual wolfish grin, all my razor-like teeth on display.

He was not taking the bait. _And here I had started to think public nudity is common amongst your kin considering your wonder that it not so amongst my own_ , Blue Fur retorted with a smirk.

_Sweetheart, if you want a show you can just ask. Although the answer might make you rethink about the **beauty** of the canines you like so much_ , I tried to be as condescending as I could be.

_Do not fret, Alpha of the Davis pack, when I do ask for what you call a 'show', the answer will be favourable_. The elf answered with a challenging smile.

I stared him down. He held my gaze. _You got balls, I'll give you that. Start walking to Ellies-meera, elfie. I'll catch up._

Blödhgarm turned and started walking but then I felt him tug on the weak mental bond that I was honestly surprised was still there, _I hope you would not mind if I-_

_You need to keep up the mental link to make sure I don't run away. It's alright. I understand. I would probably do worse if I were in your place_ , I assured him.

\---OOO---

Blödhgarm had non-verbally agreed to running instead of walking all the way to his dearest city of Ellies-meera after I rushed past him with a challenge in my smile. As much as I wanted to, it wasn't the time to see exactly how fast he was. I needed to not freak out. Running was the best way to do it.

Even if I looked like a guitar fanatic running cross-country for a cult meeting. Carrying a rucksack on your back and a jumbo sized guitar case in your hands doesn't exactly make for elegant running.

Maintaining a pace that seemed to be comfortable for Pointy Ears allowed me to go into autopilot mode. The wolf in me prowled under the surface. I took in the foreign surroundings with the eye of the predator I always will be.

The forests of Do-well-done-garden were exactly the same in all directions. If things went badly with this elven queen, I'd have to rely on clear skies for navigation. And an accurate map. Ellies-meera was the capital city, Blödhgarm had said. So, there would probably be swarming with elfies. These were people I knew next to nothing about. They had the element of surprise, but so did I.

A break in the continuous rhythm of quick, near-silent feet had me glancing to my left where Blödhgarm had probably leapt over an exposed root. He showed no signs of exertion even after what had to be about an hour. If anything, he looked deep in thought.

I wondered for a second if he had read my thoughts through the tenuous link I could still feel in my mind. His face or scent definitely didn't show it. Clearing my thoughts, I decided this would be the perfect time to see if I could hear his 'musings' like he did mine earlier.

Base instinct made my legs continue with the wild dash to Blödhgarm's city while I felt his thoughts meld to my mind in the absence of my own.

_…could not be from Alalea. Älfakyn had come such a long time ago I doubt the way is known to anyone or recorded…even though her skin is somewhat similar to the nomads who came after the first humans they had landed all the way to the other side of the country…Myra found herself in the middle of our lands with absolutely no knowledge of how she came to be here…she does not lie…she could be the first foreigner to step foot on this land in close to a thousand years…_

Dropping my guitar case to the side, I turned and smacked my palm right in the middle of the elf's chest to stop him. He jolted back from the sudden impact. Bewilderment shone in his eyes before it turned into a glare.

"Humans? There are humans here?" I asked, no, more like yelled at him.

"Why did you…you read my thoughts, correct?" And so realisation dawned on Blood-Gum.

"Yes, now could you be bothered to explain why we are going to an elven city when there's humans around here?" Maybe I wasn't as far from home as I'd thought.

The elf rubbed at his temples. "We have to tell the Queen of your existence. How many times must I remind you that you stand in the middle of the elven kingdom? If you wish to live among humans then you may do so with permission from the Queen. I must warn you, however, there are a fair number of things to understand about this land before you make any decisions."

I ran my fingers through my hair. "Okay, if whatever you saw in my head didn't make it clear, most of us shapeshifters live among or close to humans. We have to disguise ourselves and keep moving around and keep our not-so-human characteristics in check for it. What I'm trying to say is, if there are humans, it is almost guaranteed there would be shifters around. If I can find them then they might know about my pack or maybe at least tell me something that helps me." I could hear the desperation in my voice. This being lost business was tough.

Blödhgarm just observed me for a few seconds. I already knew what he saw; a panicked woman on the edge of denial, trying to hold onto any thread of hope. Never have I felt so entirely useless. I was used to having too many choices, too many things to do, too many decisions to make. I felt bile rise at the image I knew I presented to him.

Out of nowhere I saw the image of fire raining down from the skies. I blinked to block it out.

"I do not like being the bearer of bad news but I doubt you will be able to find any others like you. Perhaps I am telling you this far too soon but, Alagaësia is not limited to elves and humans," the elf said slowly.

He frowned at the ground before looking into my eyes and speaking again, "I would like that the exact state of our jolly land be told to you when you are relatively well-adjusted and not standing in the middle of nowhere but I will tell you this: In your land those who are not humans may feel the need to hide themselves for whatever reason, but here it is not so.

"Among humans themselves, there are few who are gifted with magic and they are valued. The nature of magic and those who wield it is distrusted by ignorant ones but those magicians go on to serve the elite nobility. That is how much extraordinary strength and power is in demand here. Humans have been here for centuries, if there were any of your kind then they would already be known, believe me."

I let out a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. "Worth a try, I guess," I mumbled. Blödhgarm looked like he was about to say something more but I picked up my guitar case and continued the run. He caught up soon enough.

The day had been tough to say the least. Still, nothing could prepare me for the city itself. Though the silver haired elf who appeared out of thin air and then vanished into thin air again after the blue furball apparently persuaded him into letting us in should have been warning enough that things would only get weirder.

More and more of the city was revealed as we slowed to a walk. If the pine trees out in the forest were big, the ones in the city were dinosaur-sized. Also, they doubled up as houses and buildings. Talk about being eco-friendly.

As if that wasn't enough, there were also pretty flower bushes all around and a multitude of wild rabbits and deer lounging around with no fear. Nothing felt natural. Magic was heavy and almost tangible on the air.

And then there were the elves. Too many elves. All of staring at me. Apparently elven parents don't teach their kids that it's rude to stare. So, I obviously made it a point to stare right back at as many as I could.

It was tempting take the backseat and let the beast inside me deal with everything. But if I was going to meet a goddamn monarch, I would have to be at my diplomatic best which was obviously something the wolf wasn't very good at. Instead, I worked hard on being numb to everything. I tried to be neutral, to not let my confusion and curiosity show through.

This extended to the bond that connected my mind to Blödhgarm's. I pushed it away into the deepest recesses of my mind so the elf would only feel the most basic elements of what was going on in my head.

Then came the meeting with the queen and the nobles. Queen Islanzadí was dominant and regal and the noble elven lords and ladies were impressive. I had expected dull, greedy, corrupt people. Understandably, I was thoroughly grilled with questions. Who am I? Where am I from? How could I not know where I was? What did I want? How could they know I wasn't a spy? Yadda yadda yadda.

Answering their queries with a more or less pleasant demeanour felt like a Herculean task and would've been damn near impossible if Blödhgarm didn't pitch in every once in a while. I should have been offended when he reverted to using that musical sounding language, that was probably their Ancient Language and beyond my understanding, but it made the elves in the Tialdarí Hall shut up for a few seconds so I made a mental note to thank the furry elf for that later.

It took a lot of effort to stay expressionless when Maud showed herself. I caught a guilty look on Blödhgarm's face when the short, wrinkly faced woman with sharp teeth introduced herself as a werecat. She took particular interest in me because apparently she was intrigued by the fact that I was like her. I bit my tongue to not screech out how different I was.

It was yet another disappointment in the day to see that werecats in this batshit crazy world meant diminutive people who could shift into housecats and not perfect specimens of human form with the ability to shift into strong bodied panthers and leopards and lions and tigers. It was a disappointment that almost made me want to cry in frustration. I felt Blödhgarm tug on the bond and sent him sharp, shooting pain like a bullet through a shoulder.

Probably not the wisest thing to do to my only ally so far, but I could not bear his sympathy or any explanations at that moment.

At the end of it all, everyone believed me, everyone agreed I should be given shelter and whatever help they could and everyone decided that I should be given my freedom within certain limits, namely, reporting to some Fair-in elf every morning. Of course, I had to cooperate and tell them about my country and my people. All entirely for record keeping, in case another lost shapeshifter turns up. Sure.

I was guided away to a giant tree with two storeys which was going to be my humble abode. Or at least as humble as a pine tree with a sixty feet diameter can be. Blödhgarm told me that he would return that afternoon with lunch when we reached the base of the guesthouse (guest-tree?).

I sighed in relief when I felt the bond snip without any warning or having to ask for it. I realised just how easy it had been to keep a mental link to him, comforting even. Shutting down the part of me that was feeling slightly taken aback at the suddenness of it and maybe starting to regret the fact that I sort of mentally shot him, I thanked him vaguely and then allowed the dark haired elf named Gel-rain to accompany me to the second storey. He left me at the door with the barest nod of his head.

No locks anywhere. But there was modern plumbing. Plenty of open space and all the necessary furniture. Everything was wooden and flow-y in design. There were even some clothes in the wardrobe.

Keeping my rucksack and guitar case on the floor beside the bed, I flopped onto the soft elven bedcovers and pulled out my phone. It was just 10:18 a.m. No signal as before. I allowed my gaze to linger on the wallpaper which had Jules, Ry and me grinning broadly at the beach.

What wouldn't I give to see the two of them again, if I would ever see them again. They had to be safe and sound back home. Did they know I was in a city full of elves? Were they worried about me? Could the pack feel my absence? Were they looking for me? I hoped they weren't.

Putting away the phone, I buried my head into the soft pillows and let myself doze off. _I will find my way back home, no matter what._

**-{-}-**

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Here's hoping that the length makes up for the lateness. Thank you for reading and sticking around, people. I love you all.
> 
> READ!!! LEAVE ME A KUDOS!!! COMMENT!!! BOOKMARK!!! HYDRATION IS IMPORTANT DURING SUMMERS!!!


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